I wish to take down a lath and plaster ceiling (about 6metres by 3metres) as its uneven and covered by hideous wallpaper and fake beams. I fear removing the wallpaper in case in brings down chuncks of plaster. My goal is a smooth ceiling with spotlights installed.

How do I remove a lath and plaster ceiling? Is it a big job?
Is it easy to install a plasterboard ceiling ready for skimming?

I would advise taking down the old lath and plaster ceiling and replacing with half inch plasterboard and then tape over joints and pva ceiling and then use multi finish to finish.This is a fairly big job but more messy than skilled so okay for diyer,just remember to turn off electric when pulling down ceiling and practice using multi finish on scrap wood which has been sealed with pva.good luck

Removing lathe and plaster is a filthy job and relatively big because of it you would need to empty the entire room and knock it down and the dust coupled with the years of dirt from above is terrible but once its down it is easy to replace with plaster board. hope this helps and maybe some other posters will have an ingeneous way of making this cleaner

Hi DIY-mikey, agree with all above comments. Filthy, messy, dusty job.
rosebery's solution to over board is quickest method. But if you do want to remove ceiling depends where the ceiling is for best method of removing. First empty remove of everything including carpets. Dust sheets over doors and I'd cover floorboards up too.
You need to isolate any electrics that are within this working area. Remove light fittings. be carefull of any pipe work too.
If you can get to it from above i.e. loft/attic. That's good. Because you can start knocking down from above the ceiling.
Ideally you want to cut/saw lathe around edge of ceiling good jack saw should do the job, could use jigsaw or circular saw but I'd like to have electric off. Better safe etc...
Once that's done it's pull down job from below, it's knock down from above. Have a skip available, because you would not beleive how much is going to come down. The lathe will just pull away by hand, lots of nails to pull out latter though.
Get PPE'd Gloves, dust masks, goggles, even hard hat, could be some surprises up above. After it is all down and out, simple job of boarding (making sure cable through for lights) and skiming or joint filling.
Good Luck, Hope I explained it well enough to understand.
KB